All activities of the Limpopo Tourism and Parks Board have been suspended until further notice, pending an inquiry into the body's financial affairs, according to a statement issued by the province's Department of Finance and Economic Development.

The statement said the board had not spent its full allocation in respect of budgeted projects, whilst some officials had been overpaid. The inquiry would reveal whether there had been any irregularities.

In their response to the situation, opposition parties in the province have made various demands, including the dismissal of senior officials of the board and the department.

Official Opposition Leader Kingsley Masemola (United Democratic Movement) says the department's handling of the matter is unsatisfactory. He believes the suspension is a mechanism to suppress publicity.

"Uncrossed cheques amounting to R1 million were issued by the board, and R1,28 million was paid out without proper documentation. It has also been established that R3,2 million was spent on new vehicles, and that the seller was not an accredited motor dealer," Masemola said, in response to media inquiries. Masemola also questioned the fact that a single accounting officer had not been appointed by the board, since its inception. This was highly irregular, he contended.

The board's Chief Executive Officer, Edgar Mushwana, has kept a fairly low profile, choosing not to comment on allegations levelled at him. The Democratic Alliance's Michael Holford says the public has a right to know the truth "behind the twisting tail of Tourism in Limpopo". "Why is the board being blamed for an excessive use of funds to attend meetings, when the spending has had the blessing of the MEC?" he asked. "Who exactly is the CEO working for, the Board or the Department? Statements on this issue by two senior members of the department appear to contradict each other", he claims.

"It is a well-known fact that the current CEO has a trail of questions that continue to follow him. The DA is not surprised to hear of, and be presented with, this new string of allegations". The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has also expressed it concern about the situation.

"This whole debacle can damage the image of the province and affect tourism," said ACDP provincial leader Neels Roelofse. He has insisted that the perpetrators be brought to book without delay. It is not known whether the suspension of the board's activities will include the closure of tourism information centres in the province. No comment on this aspect could be obtained from the department.